What kind of engine is pictured below? In the last edition of VeloceToday, we told readers that it was removed from a damaged car in a U.S. junkyard about 25 years ago. Many readers gave their opinion, but the answer was both surprising and yet so obvious. What was it and who got it right?
The tip off was the the valve arrangement and the SOHC fanbelt pulleys. Note the Heron-head–with the swirl chamber in the piston itself–and the side by side valve arrangement. From the Lamborghini Uracco brochure.
Thomas Gonnella, a long time Alfa owner who now is restoring a Ferrari 308GT4, came up with the first solid correct answer. “Lambo,” he wrote. “Heron heads, 90 degree SOHC V-8 with belt driven cams and four twin choke down draft carbs, either Weber 40IDF or Solex C40P117. 86mm bore x 53mm stroke, actual capacity is 2463cc. Ironically, it displaces 308cc per cylinder and at 10.4:1 compression ratio it produces 220bhp (DIN) @ 7,500 rpm. L240 series Lamborghini V-8 in the 2.5 liter Urraco.
A couple of days later, Ken Stevenson figured that “All the clues led me to the Lamborghini Urraco. The same engine or variation for the Lamborghini Silhouette and Jalpa.”
Frank Calandra also chimed in with a close one. “Nope, not a Fiat. The 8V was a 70 degree “V” and this one looks to be a 90. Not a Ferrari 308, which was a DOHC. The Alfa and Maserati eights were also DOHC. The only Italian V8 SOHC I can think of was the old Lamborghini Uracco, and I can’t say for sure this is it. I’m baffled.” He was right though.
Mike Bradley had known the answer before we ran the photos so we let him go, even though technically he was first. Well, then come to think of it, he wasn’t either. Mike Sheehan, who had been given the photos and passed them on to us, couldn’t figure it out. But then he got to thinking, “Just name any post war Italian V8s and delete the DOHCs.” Ya, right, but Sheehan also did not forget about the poor unloved V8 Lambos, and eventually came to the right conclusion.